Well this is going to sound real dumb asking this seemingly trivial question.
I got two Broad exhaust fans in the bathrooms and recently I tried to remove the covers to clean off the dust as well as getting those off so the painter can paint the ceiling.
Well, it's simple, just like most recessed light fixtures, you just pull down on the cover to reveal two pairs of wire hangers and you just need to pinch them to release them from the housing of the exhaust fan. Should take no more than 1 minute each.
WRONG.
I pinched and pinched this way and that way higher lower no matter what I do, won't come off. I got frustrated so I just brute forced it and it came off as expected with the wire hangers still in the slot but the plastic cover "tabs" broken off. So I got one removed. What the problem was the slots are very narrow like about 1 inch wide. The hangers are spread like 7 inches apart and you need to pinch them so far in until the wires touch each other than you need to continue to pinch even more. What I found is the way the wires are you need to move higher with your fingers to further pinch them in but the cover fully lowered only gives you hand 2 inches of room to manipulate this.
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These are the wire hangers to pinch, see the shape to understand why you cannot pinch them in far enough if you are pinching the lower portion.
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![Image]()
So knowing this, I went to remove the second one, same thing, after trying for a good 10 minutes gave up and broke the second one as well.
Than I ordered two new replacements. Once arrived I tried to put the new one on, got one side put in, and the second side no matter what I do, I cannot get the wires inserted. My hand just can't get high enough in there to pinch them closer.
I concluded this must require a special tool or a trick. Kind of like you need a special plier to install snap rings.
Another ever had the same trouble and know the trick? I broke three already.
I got two Broad exhaust fans in the bathrooms and recently I tried to remove the covers to clean off the dust as well as getting those off so the painter can paint the ceiling.
Well, it's simple, just like most recessed light fixtures, you just pull down on the cover to reveal two pairs of wire hangers and you just need to pinch them to release them from the housing of the exhaust fan. Should take no more than 1 minute each.
WRONG.
I pinched and pinched this way and that way higher lower no matter what I do, won't come off. I got frustrated so I just brute forced it and it came off as expected with the wire hangers still in the slot but the plastic cover "tabs" broken off. So I got one removed. What the problem was the slots are very narrow like about 1 inch wide. The hangers are spread like 7 inches apart and you need to pinch them so far in until the wires touch each other than you need to continue to pinch even more. What I found is the way the wires are you need to move higher with your fingers to further pinch them in but the cover fully lowered only gives you hand 2 inches of room to manipulate this.
These are the wire hangers to pinch, see the shape to understand why you cannot pinch them in far enough if you are pinching the lower portion.
So knowing this, I went to remove the second one, same thing, after trying for a good 10 minutes gave up and broke the second one as well.
Than I ordered two new replacements. Once arrived I tried to put the new one on, got one side put in, and the second side no matter what I do, I cannot get the wires inserted. My hand just can't get high enough in there to pinch them closer.
I concluded this must require a special tool or a trick. Kind of like you need a special plier to install snap rings.
Another ever had the same trouble and know the trick? I broke three already.
